This is the third project I did for DMS8013. Well actually this project is pretty similar to Webcam Synthesizer, the difference is on this project I distort the screen using “particle” and synthesized it with modulation sound from Minim. Minim is very interesting to explore, there are so many possibilities. However the main issue I face on this project is I’m still figured it out how to use all the pixel hue and brightness on the screen to synthesized the modulation, so instead of creating one layer of modulation it will created many layers of sound.

I finally found the process to make the best looking slit-scan result. I took the lesson from a YouTube video posted by Daniel Shiffman which is really helpful. My idea is to create an interaction between the slit scan and some audio, but at the end I feel it will be more engaging if the interaction is involving the user rather than just audio and slitscan. So I make a keyPressed code, where the user could change the type and style of the slitscan. While the camera scanning the user, the user can immediately change the style of the slitscan by pressing the arrow keys on keyboard.

An update of the earlier version of Cam synth, which I think I will name it Webcam Synthesizer now. I found Moog Filter in Minim really interesting. I use it to create a really nice low frequencies detail on the sounds. Also, I put the stroke off the screen, to give it more playful sense and curiosity.

On the last post I talked quite a bit about the possibilities of interaction between slit-scan and sound. Although I still find the idea of slit-scan is still limited, I tried to experiment more on the synthesis between webcam and sound. So I kinda postponed the idea of slit-scan and try new thing. I found the code to read a hue on the screen, which I found really usable. And for the sound, at first I was trying to use SinOsc in order to create sine oscillator but I got stuck then I found minim. Minim is really helpful for synthesizing sound.

With the help of this code by fine gentlemen on openprocessing.org I managed to experiment with this cam synthesizer.

As I mentioned on the earlier post, I have been playing around with this Slit scan idea. At that time I felt this idea is somehow limited (it is still though!), but when it comes to Processing code I find it quite fun to explore. Little background on why I like Slit-scan technique:

Around 13 years ago, I saw a film that really changed my life. It was 2001: A Space Odyssey. On the film there is this “gate” scene that really mesmerized the 11 years of me. I was so amazed with that scene. That scene haunted me, and to be honest it was actually that got me into cinema (beside many 80′s-90′s B horror film I watched when I was kid) and so called experimental cinema later. Anyway, fast forward to many years later I learned that scene was done by Slit-scan technique using several component of film reel by Douglas Trumbull (which if you’re reading this and you are film geek, I know you worship this guy but please remember this is the same guy who also try to “explore” commercial cinema experience with his idea about 48fps real thing yadda yadda The Hobbit yadda yadda). I’ve learned the technique on analog device and also digital camera, but as I was looking around the example on Processing library I was quite intrigued when I found there is a way to create a slit scan technique using code. Well, I think there is always a way to create anything with code, but hey! It’s slit-scan! So it should be fun!

So I’ve seen the example, and it was a slit scan code for video library. It was fun, but then I was thinking about interaction. I think it could be more interesting if there is an interaction going on between the user and this slit-scan technique. So I tried to explore Capture on video library, which is really simple. Anyway so here is the code I came up at the end.

As previously stated, it is really simple. There is also a WhiteNoise going on there because I’m still on the early stage to have some experimentation with pixel reader (this code hasn’t been update). For this project I was thinking something synthesis between the slit-scan and sound, so for further development I hope I could try create a simple interactivity between the slit-scan that scan through webcam and sound. I will use something like pixel reader and transfer the data use OSC to Puredata.

Anyway, this is my first idea for this module and I think I spent to much time learning annotated portfolio instead on working with project.

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For some random recommendation. What I’ve been into this past week:

The Defence of Food by Michael Pollan. As a food aficionado, I’d say this book is amazing. It touches an important issues of homecooking, food cultures, corporate food, and consumer culture theory.

A Girl on The Shore by Asano Inio.Oh man, I think Asano is the most sadistic mangaka ever live. After I read his utterly nihilistic manga Oyasumi Punpun, I need like couple years to touch his another work because of the trauma created by that manga. And now he creates something similar with MORE emotional wreckage. If you are not a fragile person when it comes to feeling, this one might for you.